


here's the burning pile

by kuro49



Category: The Unit
Genre: Gen, Team Dynamics, episode tag: s04e04 The Conduit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-14
Updated: 2014-10-14
Packaged: 2018-02-21 02:51:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2451953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuro49/pseuds/kuro49
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It takes him a better part of two weeks to self-extract.</p>
            </blockquote>





	here's the burning pile

**Author's Note:**

> Who knew I could write something where everyone is not banging everyone else (trust me, I'm just as surprised).

It’s always easy for those paper pushers sitting behind their desks to talk about efficiency. About acceptable losses, greater goods, and worthwhile sacrifices because they aren’t the ones walking along the long stretch of Cartagena’s beach: Silencer back inside his duffel, gun tucked into the holster his shirt hides so well, and a body left where the water is already lapping at the wheels of that stolen Jeep.

It takes him a better part of two weeks to self-extract.

From Cartagena, Colombia all the way back home.

Failed missions are not new, not for him or his team.

There isn’t much to be bitter about. Frankly, this isn’t the first time, and Mack knows, this isn’t about to be the last time someone in his position gets the short end of the stick either. It is doing what needs to be done, there isn’t a thing called _choice_ when he’s out there.

Just a trigger to another unholstered gun taking aim.

 

“Permission to be dismissed?”

He still has dirt beneath his nails, grit in his skin, and the burn of being the one to be left without an exit strategy. The room is just Colonel Ryan and him, no one else but the dust still on his clothes, and the worn expression on his face as he gives him the mission review.

It doesn’t take much, he doesn’t sleep well for the duration he’s been out.

He doesn’t sleep well, period.

But that isn’t anything new being a Unit operator with the years to show.

“Permission granted, soldier.” Colonel Ryan gathers the mission reports from the table and nods at him with something that looks like sympathy in his eyes, “Go have a cold one on me, Mack. You deserve it.”

 

The give of the door is familiar, the cut-short conversations and the clink of glass is too.

“Look who finally decided to come home.”

Top says, out loud, a half smile curling at the corner of his mouth when Mack walks into the distillery. Bob looks away with a grin, beats too late at the sight of him. And Charles just downs another gulp of moonshine like it’s reflex.

“So, you three are what I got traded in for?” He asks, and everyone figures if you’re looking for fairness in this line of work, then you’re in the wrong fucking trade. Dropping down on one of the upturn crates between Jonas and Bob, he takes the jar from Charles’ extended hand before he has a deep, deep drink.

The path he traced to come home is just another story to be shared with just a few more minutes between them, a few more sips burning heat on the way down. Of him settling with his team around him, and of the team fitting back around that gap Mack fills without reserve.

“Better you than Brown,” Charles retorts, and this is an old joke that they are never going to let Bob choke down, “I don’t think there’s too many yachts available for him to hitch a ride back like that last time.”

His laugh is loud, has Bob turning to sock him in the shoulder when he doesn’t stop. Charles’ eyes gleam with satisfaction, and watching them, Jonas can finally sit back, dropping that final weight at the sight of his team in its entirety.

 

XXX Kuro


End file.
